Coke oven door



J. S. POTTER COKE OVEN DOOR May 9, 1939.

Filed Sept. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C I u n 0 1 d I a I A 2 .J//. 2 Q 0. B m 0 4 H K WWI I0 I WHF I WHI I h HHHI KWIJI A L IJW I P n o o o o o, o o

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INVENTOR JZJEL 5. POTTER W g/MM ATTORNEY J. sPOTTER COKE OVEN DOOR May 9, 1939.

Filed Sept. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wimp: m

6 w P j I 2 a 0 Q Patented May 9, 1939 uuirno STATES PATENT OFFIQE to Louis Wilputte,

New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application September 28, 1936, Serial No. 102,943

11 Claims.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved end closure for a horizontal elongated coking chamber of the kind in general use for the production of metallurgical coke, and, particularly, an improved closure for the purpose described, comprising a self-sealing, plug type door including adjustable flexible metallic sealing means carried by the door, and a metallic door frame member mounted in the 'oven structure and including provisions cooperating with the sealing provisions of the door to effect a gas tight seal between the door frame member and door, in the closed position of the latter.

Coke oven end closures of the general character mentioned above, are now in extensive use abroad and are coming into use in this country, and my improved end closure may, and preferably does, include various features of construction and arrangement previously developed and. not claimed as novel herein. My improved end closure differs from all of those heretofore devised, of which I have knowledge, in that it includes a sealing member not mounted on, or supported by the removable door, but mounted on, and supported by the door frame, though preferably readily separable therefrom, and comprising an inner edge portion adapted to abut against and make a gas tight joint with, a sealing surface on the door frame member and transverse to the axis of the door, and having an outer edge portion adapted to be engaged by, and make a gas tight joint with, the inner face of a flexible sealing plate portion of the door, when the latter is in its closed position. The said scaling member mounted on the door frame, is advantageously formed by bending a bar of rolled metal of flange bar cross section, and particularly of T bar cross section, so as to form a rectangular frame or continuous rim about the doorway, and so that one flange edge of the bar may abut against the sealing surface of the door frame member proper, while another flange edge of the bar is in abutting relation with the fiat sealing plate portion of the door, when the latter is in its closed position.

In all self-sealing door arrangements now in use, a flexible plate portion carried by and extending laterally away from the margin of the door body supports at its margin, a flexible metal rim or flange parallel to the door axis, which abuts against a door frame sealing surface in the closed position of the door. As compared with such prior arrangements, closures constructed in accordance with the present invention are characterized by the greater ease of cleaning such of their flexible sealing provisions as may require cleaning from time to time, and by the greater ease of repairing or reforming such of their sealing provisions as may be so injured or deformed in normal use as to interfere with the establishment and maintenance of gas tight joints.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages, and specific objects attained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved closure;

Fig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. l, centrally through the closure and the adjacent portion of the coke oven battery structure with which it is associated;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a partial section, taken similarly to Fig. 3, and illustrating a modification:

The coke oven end closure shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, includes a removable plug door comprising a rigid outer metallic section A, a sealing section B, and an inner-plug section C. The latter, in the closed position of the door, extends into, and forms a stopper or plug for the corresponding end of a coking chamber D, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, at the margin of which is located a rigid one-piece metallic doorframe body E. Ordinarily, and as shown, the latter extends into a recess D formed in the coke oven brickwork D and surrounding the chamber D, so that the doorframe member E forms a metallic lining for the mouth or doorway portion of the coking chamber. As shown, the doorframe member E is normally anchored in place in the coke oven masonry, so as to form a rigid portion of the battery structure, by means comprising clamping bars F, each abutting at one end against an outer edge portion of the door frame member E, and abutting at its inner end against a vertical buckstay member G, or more precisely, against a pad part 5!, welded to the base flange of the buckstay and slotted to receive the head of a clamping bolt F acting between the pad and the clamping bar F, intermediate the ends of the latter. The doorframe member E is provided with an adjustable flange e, abutting against a flash plate member G interposed between the coke oven brickwork at the corresponding side of the chamber D and the adjacent buckstay G. The described doorframe anchoring means are of the character disclosed and claimed in the patent of Louis Wilputte, No. 2,025,967 granted December 31, 1935, and form no part of the present invention, which may permit the use of a doorframe member different in form from that shown, and secured in place by different means.

For the purpose of the present invention, it is essential, however, that the door frame member E should include an outwardly facing sealing surface, like the sealing surface E shown, which is transverse to the door axis and parallel to the side of the battery. It is practically desirable, also, that said sealing surface, which ordinarily is machined, should be formed, as shown, by the outer face of a flange portion extending toward the doorway from a surrounding body portion of the door frame member extending outwardly from the plane of the surface E.

Mounted on, and preferably detachably connected to, the door frame member E is the special sealing rim member H, provided in accordance with the present invention. The member H, as shown, is formed by bending a rolled metal bar of T bar cross section, into the form of a rectangular frame, surrounding the doorway, with the head of the bar extending transversely to the plane of the sealing surface E, with which one edge H, of the head is in abutting relation, while the opposite edge, H is engaged by the inner side of the sealing plate portion B of the door, in the closed position of the latter. When the member H is formed by bending a bar to thus form a continuous rim about the door opening, the abutting ends of the bar may be welded together. In ordinary practice, the door frame member E is a casting and its surface E is machined, and the edges H and H of the member H are faced off and bevelled to provide sharp accurately shaped sealing edges H and H engaging the surface E and the face of the plate B, respectively.

The member H may be connected to the member E in various ways but preferably is so connected as to be readily detachable. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, it is detachably secured in piace by bolts H passing through the web H and each having a head H received in an undercut slot E in a corresponding pad part or lug E on the door frame member at one side of the surface E. The faces of the bodies E engaged by the web portion H may be faced off, so that the member H may be clamped in place with its edge H in rigid engagement with the surface E. Such rigid clamping of the member H against the door frame member E is not essential however, since the edge H is forced into snug engagement with the surface E, by the very substantial pressure with which the sealing plate portion B of the door is pressed against the edge H in the normal position of the door. In an alternative mounting of the member H illustrated, by way of example, in Fig. 5, the member H is provided at intervals along its length with outwardly extending arms H each in the form of a bent metallic bar, secured at its inner end, as by riveting or welding, to the flange H of the member H, and having its outer end detachably connected to an outer portion of the door frame member E, in any suitable manner, as by means of the bolt H shown in Fig. 5.

The present invention is adapted for use with doors differing Widely in construction and arrangement. For the general purpose of the general invention, it is only essential that the sealing plate portion B of the door should project laterally from the body of the door into overlapping engagement with the sealing edge H and that the door should include means for bending different portions of the overlapping portion of the member B toward and away from the general plane of the surface E, as required to conform to such displacement of different portions of that surface from a true plane as results from the warping or deformation of the door frame, which is an inevitable consequence of its normal use. In the preferred form of door construction illustrated, the member B is initially a flat plate of rolled steel, which may be of an inch, in thickness, or so, which is interposed between the outer rigid door section A, and the inner plug portion C of the door, and extends entirely across the doorway, in the closed position of the door.

The rigid outer door section A, as shown, is a metal casting, comprising a platelike body with a marginal outwardly extending flange or rim portion A. The sealing plate B is rigidly connected to the door section A, adjacent the bottom of the door, by clamping bolts I, by which the portion of the plate B immediately adjacent the bolts is clamped between a lug or bracket portion A of the door section A, and a metallic bottom part C of the plug section of the door. The marginal portion of the plate B may be adjusted toward and away from the outer door section A by suitable adjustment provisions. The latter, as shown, comprises bolt members J, each having an outer threaded portion screwed through a threaded passageway in a bracket or lug J secured, as by means of bolts J against the external side of the flange A of the outer door section, at suitably distributed points along the length of said flange. Each bolt member J extends parallel to the door axis, and has an inner portion, threaded oppositely to its outer end portion and screwed into a threaded socket in a corresponding yoke member J which has its inner end slotted or bifurcated to receive a corresponding metal bar part having its. inner edge or side in abutting relation with the outer side of the plate B.

There are four such bar parts, namely, two vertical bar parts K, one adjacent each side of the door and extending for substantially full vertical length of the door, a horizontal top bar K and a horizontal bottom bar K The side bars K, as shown, are flat bars connected to the plate B, only through a horizontal member L adjacent to, and somewhat below the top of the door. The bars K are connected by bolts KL to lateral ear extensions from the member L which is shown as a horizontal channel bar connected to the plate B, by bolts L extending through the Web or base of the channel bar to and through the plate B, and welded or otherwise secured to an upper metallic portion C of the plug section of the door.

As shown, four yoke members J one immediately above, and one immediately below the member L, at each side of the door, are each connected to the corresponding bar K by a pin J passing through the bar K and through the bifurcations of the yoke J whereby each of those yokes J 3 forms a sort of clevis connection between the corresponding adjusting bolt J and bar K, preventing bodily movement of the adjacent portion of the plate toward or away from the outer door section A, except as a result of the rotation of the adjustment bolt.

The top bar K is shown as of angle bar cross section having one flange held against the plate B, by clamping bolts, and provided with ears K straddled by the bifurcations of the yoke members J of the two adjusting devices at the topof the door. Each top yoke member J is connected to the corresponding ear K by connecting pin J so that the top portion of the plate B may be bodily adjusted toward and away from the outer section of the door. The bottom bar K is a flat bar or metal strip with its inner edge normally engaging the adjacent outer portion of the plate B. The yoke members J of the two adjusting connections adjacent the bottom of the door, are connected to the bar K by through pins J so that the bar K is held against displacement, but as the latter is not connected to the plate B, the adjustment of the bottom bolts J cannot pull the bottom portion of the plate B outward.

The yoke members J 3 of the difierent adjusting devices associated with the bars K, other than the four previously mentioned as adjacent the reinforcing member L, need not be connected by through pins J to the side bars K for their adjustment purpose, as for that purpose it is essential only that they should be capable of serving as adjustable thrust parts, for the transmission of pressure in the door closing direction from the outer door section A through the side bars K to the plate B. In practice, however, I preferably connect the lower yoke J at each side of the door, to the corresponding bar K by a pin K The pressure thus transmitted to the plate B from the outer section of the door, should be great enough to bend the bars K in planes transverse to the plate B when necessary to hold the latter in sealing engagement with the edge H at all points along the length of said edge, and at the same time, holding the edge H at all points along: its length, in sealing engagement with the door frame surface E, notwithstanding relative distortion or warping due to operating stress, of the surface E and door section A.

The pressure with which the door is sealed in place is transmitted by upper and lower locking bars M and m, mounted on the door to door retaining devices rigidly secured to the stationary coke oven structure. As shown, the retaining devices are in the form of hook members N secured to the door frame member E. The locking bar M and m are each movable toward and away from the door section A, and means are provided for exerting sealing force between the door section A and each bar M tending to spread them apart. For the general purposes of the present invention, it is immaterial whether that force is applied by a threaded connection between each bar and rigid door section, as has heretofore been customary, or is applied in some other way. Advantageously, however, and as shown, that force is a resilient force due to springs 0, one acting between each of the bars M and m and the rigid door part A.

In the preferred construction shown, the bar M is a casting formed with a yoke portion M, through which the corresponding spring 0 extends. The portion M is hinge connected to a lever P which may also be a casting and is connected by a fulcrum shaft P to a corresponding bracket member Q, suitably secured to the door section A. As shown the member Q has lateral projections Q connected by bolts Q to lugs A on the rim portion A of the door part A The lever P is a casting having an uprising portion P acting against the inner side of the yoke M, and having uprising portions P acting against the outer sides of aligned pinlike extensions M from the member M. The hinge connection thus provided between the lever P and yoke M, causes the locking bar M to be moved bodily toward and away from the door section A on turning movement of the lever P in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2. The lever P is biased for movement in the counter-clockwise direction by the spring 0 which is seated on a horizontal portion P of the lever P and is engaged at its upper end by an abutment washer O, adjustably connected to the upper end of a tension rod 0 by nuts 0 carried by the latter. The lower end of the rod 0 is connected to the bracket Q. As shown projections Q from the member Q extend over the ends of the projections M and thus interlock the lever P and bar M against accidental separation in the normal assembled condition of the apparatus though the parts M, and Q may be readily separated when necessary for repairs or replacements.

In unlocking the door, the lever P is given a clockwise movement by suitable door handling machinery, whereby the locking bar M is first moved inward, thereby relieving the pressure normally acting between the bar M and the corresponding hook members N, and as the clockwise movement of the lever P continues, an outer portion P of the lever engages the bar M and elevates the latter above the hook ends of the hook members N. In locking the door in place, the part M and lever P are subjected to operations which are the reverse of those to which they are subjected in unlocking the door. The lower looking bar 112 is similar to the upper bar M and is similarly associated with a lever P spring 0 and supporting bracket, but the supporting bracket QA for the lower locking bar m differs from the bracket Q, in that it is provided with a depending portion Q for engagement by the door handling machinery for a purpose which need not be described herein.

The plug section C of the door comprises a body of refractory material, which may be a monolithic mass, of may comprise a plurality of refractory blocks or sections, and is reinforced by a metallic post C shown as of I beam cross section. The post C is attached at its lower end to the metallic bottom part C" connected. to the outer metallic portion of the door by the bolts I, as previously described. The previously mentioned upper metallic part C is slotted for the passage of a reduced upper portion of the post C said portion and the part C being normally covered by a removable refractory block C form.- ing the top of the plug section of the door. With the cap C and bolts I and L removed, the body portion of the plug section may be separated from the door partsA and B, and handled as a unit, as by inserting a crane hook in a hole C formed for the purpose in the upper end of the post C The door shown in the drawings is a so-called pusher side door, and is provided with a levelling upper opening, normally closed by a levelling bar door R. The latter is suitably mounted on a hollow casting S, secured to the plate B at the margin of the levelling bar opening B in the latter. As those skilled in the art will understand, no levelling bar opening and levelling bar door is required in a coke oven door for use at the coke side of the patent. In the case of a coke side door of the design and type shown,

the reinforcing member L maywell be located closer to the top of the plate B, so that the plug section of the door will be correspondingly increased in length relative to the length of the sealing plate B.

In use the various adjusting bolts J are adjusted to insure the proper sealing of the joint between the plate B and edge H of the special sealing member H, and of the joint between the inner edge J of that member and the sealing surface E of the door frame body E. Such adjustments are effected from time to time, as required to take care of the warping or relative distortion of the door frame member E and the rigid outer section A of the door, which ordinarily occurs in operation.

With the described construction, the plate B, bar members K and K and K and the special sealing member H, are adequately flexible to permit of such bending or deformation as is required to accommodate the relative warping and distortion of the door frame member E and door section A. Notwithstanding their flexibility the above mentioned sealing parts are well adapted to resist the heavy sealing pressure and other stresses to which they are subjected. While the sealing pressure transmitted from the door section A to the door frame El through the flexible sealing provisions may vary widely with the oven chamber dimensions and conditions of use, it is always substantial. In the case of an oven chamber of standard dimensions, the aggregate sealing pressure for each door may well be as much as, or greater than six thousand pounds.

With a closure constructed in accordance with the present invention, the liability to interference with proper sealing, as a result of the accumulation of pitch on the sealing parts is relatively small, particularly because of the ease with which the accessible flat inner face of the flexible plate B may be cleaned, when out of its normal closed position, and the resultant small liability of injuring or deforming the plate B in the cleaning operation. If when the door is being closed, coke pieces are caught between the plate 3 and edge H of the member H, they may be crushed and squeezed out of position to interfere materially with the establishment of the proper seal, by the door force closing, with little risk of injuring or deforming the plate B or member 1-1. If as a. result of a coke crushing and squeezing action, or otherwise, the part H is injured or deformed sufliciently to interfere with the sealing action, the lightweight of that part, and its accessibility when the door is removed, permits of its quick and easy removal for repairs, reformation, or replacement.

The door carried sealing provisions of my improved closure, are relatively inexpensive from the manufacturing standpoint, and have important practical operating advantages. The exible sealing plate B, advantageously formed of cold rolled steel stock, requires no machining or work other than the boring or punching of a few bolt-holes. The bars K, K, and K may be formed of stock bar material, and require no machining or working other than the formation of a few bolt-holes therein, and the welding of the ears K to the top bar K, and are adequately flexible. No Warping or distortion of the door frame sealing surface E which can be expected to occur in normal operation, will require that the plate B be given a corresponding permanent set or deformation, since the inherent flexibility of the plate B is such that it can readily be bent in each door sealing operation as required for sealing engagement with the sealing edge H which is necessarily then held by the sealing pressure in parallelism with the sealing surface E of the door frame member E.

The fact that each bar K is attached to the plate B only through the member L, permits of a relative longitudinal movement of the abutting surfaces of the bar K and plate B, which, though minute, insures a flexibility of the plate and of the bar which would not exist if the bar were welded or otherwise secured to the plate so as to prevent such relative movement. The major portion of the plate B is restrained only by its own stiffness against bending about any axis parallel to the plate. The only portions of the plate not free to so bend under the stresses due to the opposing thrusts on the plate, of the sealing member edge H and the bars K, K, and K are small portions of the plate respectively adjacent the bolts I, the member L and the bar K. Furthermore, the portions of the plate 13 between said small portions are free to bend as required to permit relative movements of said small portions.

Various novel features of door construction and arrangement disclosed, but not claimed herein, are claimed in one or another of my prior applications, Serial No. 28,264, filed June 24, 1935, Serial No. 84,596, filed June 11, 1936, and Serial No, 88,676, filed July 2, 1936, and the prior applications of Louis Wilputte, Serial No. 52,995, filed December 5, 1935, and Serial No. 977, filed January 9, 1935.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a coke oven door frame adapted to surround a coke oven door opening and comprising a metallic body member formed rith an outwardly facing sealing surface, a flexible metallic sealing frame member detachably connected to said body member and comprising an inwardly extending abutting, joint sealing relation with said face and an outwardly extending narrow sealing edge, each of said edges extending longitudinally of said surface, and a door adapted to close said opening and comprising a flat flexible sealing plate portion substantially parallel to said surface and adapted for joint sealing engagement with said outwardly extending sealing edge.

2. A coke oven door frame comprising a metalllc body member adapted to surround a coke oven door opening and having an outwardly facing sealing surface, and a flexible metallic sealing frame member detachably connected to said body member and comprising an inner sealing edge portion in abutting, joint sealing relation narrow sealing edge in .1;

with said surface and an outer sealing edge portion adapted for joint sealing engagement by a door closing said door opening, each of said edges extending longitudinally of said surface.

3. A coke oven door frame comprising a metallic body member adapted to surround a coke oven door opening and having an outwardly facing sealing surface and a flexible sealing frame member of flanged bar cross section detachably connected to said body member and comprising an inwardly extending flange in abutting, joint sealing relation with said surface and an outwardly extending flange adapted for joint sealing engagement by a door closing said door opening, each of said flanges extending longitudinally of said surface. Y

i. A coke oven door frame comprising a metallic body member adapted to surround a coke oven door opening and having an outwardly facing sealing surface and a flexible sealing frame member of T bar cross section in longitudinal parallelism with said surface and with its head portion extending transversely to said surface and with the inner edge of said head portion in abutting, joint sealing relation with said surface and having its leg portion at the side of the head portion remote from the door opening, and means detachably connecting said members.

5. A coke oven door frame comprising a metallic body member adapted to surround a coke oven door opening and having an outwardly facing sealing surface and a flexible sealing frame Member of T bar cross section in longitudinal parallelism with said surface with its head portion extending transversely to said surface and with the inner edge of said head portion in abutting, joint sealing relation with said surface, and having its leg portion at the side of the head portion remote from the door opening, and means providing a detachable connection between the leg portion of said sealing member and said body member.

6. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section and an interposed flat flexible sealing plate adapted to extend across a door opening closed by said door and to abut against sealing means surrounding said opening and supported independently of said door and restrained against bending movement over the major portion of its extent only by its own stiffness, and means acting between the marginal portion of said plate and said rigid door section and adjustable to hold said marginal portion in engagement with said sealing surface in the closed position of the door, notwithstanding relative distortion of said door section and sealing surface.

7. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section and an interposed flat flexible sealing plate adapted to extend across a door opening closed by said door and to abut against sealing means surrounding said opening and supported independently of said door and restrained against bending movement over the major portion of its extent only by its own stiffness, means rigidly connecting a small lower portion of said plate to each of said sec tions, means rigidly connecting a small upper portion of said plate to said plug section means connecting upper portions of said plate to said outer section adjacent the top of the door and adjustable to move said upper portions toward and away from said outer section, and adjustable thrust connections between the outer door section and the marginal portion of said plate at different levels below said upper portions of the plate.

8. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section and an intermediate flat flexible sealing plate adapted to extend across a door opening into which said plug section extends, and to overlap a sealing surface at the margin of said opening, section connecting means clamping a small portion of said. plate between said sections adjacent the bottom of the door, means clamping a small upper portion of said plate to said plug section, and means acting between said outer section and a marginal portion of said plate adjustable to bend said portion into engagement with said sealing surface, in the closed position of the door, notwithstanding relative distortion of said surface and outer door section.

9. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section and an intermediate flat flexible sealing plate adapted to extend across a door opening into which said plug section extends, and to overlap a sealing surface at the margin of said opening, section connecting means clamping a small portion of said plate between said sections adjacent the bottom of the door, means clamping a small upper portion of said plate of said plug section, and means acting between said outer section and a marginal portion of said plate adjustable to bend said portion into engagement with said sealing surface, in the closed position of the door, notwithstanding relative distortion of said surface, and outer door section, said means comprising a flexible metallic bar at each side of the door extending vertically for substantially the full length of the door and having an inner edge surface in abutting relation with the outer surface of said plate and free to move relative to the latter in the direction of the length of the bar.

10. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section, and a flat flexible sealing plate interposed between said sections and adapted to extend across a door opening into which said plug section extends and to overlap sealing means surrounding said opening and supported independently of said door, section connecting means clamping a lower portion of said plate between said inner and outer sections, means connecting an upper portion of said plug section to said plate, connecting means connecting the top of said plate to the top of said outer section adjustable to move the top of the plate toward and away from the outer section, vertical bars each having an inner edge in abutting relation with the outer side of said plate adjacent the corresponding side edge of the latter, and connections between said outer section and each of said vertical bars distributed along the length of the latter and adjustable to hold the adjacent marginal portion of the plate in engagement with said sealing means, notwithstanding relative distortion of said sealing means and outer door section.

11. A self sealing coke oven door comprising a rigid outer section, an inner plug section, and a flat flexible sealing plate interposed between said sections and adapted to extend across a door opening into which said plug section extends and to overlap sealing means surrounding said opening and supported independently of said door, section connecting means clamping a lower portion of said plate between said inner and outer sections, means including a horizontal bar at the outer side of said plate connecting the upper portion of said plug section to said plate, vertical bars secured to the ends of the first mentioned bar and each having an inner edge in abutting relation with the outer side of said plate adjacent the corresponding side edge of the latter, connecting means between the top of said plate and the top of said outer section adjustv3,0,. able to move the top of the plate toward and away from the outer section, and connections between said outer section and each of said vertical bars distributed along the length of the latter and adjustable to hold the adjacent marginal portions of the plate in engagement with said sealing means, notwithstanding relative distortion of said sealing means and outer door section.

JOEL SANFORD POTTER. 

